By Theodore Beza
Evangelical Press ('Living Classics for Today' series). 140 pages. £5.95
ISBN 0 85234 404 X
This book is a modern translation of the classic by Theodore Beza, Calvin's friend and fellow pastor, originally written just three months after Calvin's death in 1564. The author sets out to present us with a chronological description of the events in Calvin's life, with his own commentary upon those events, including a transcript of Calvin's last will and testament and a moving account of his death.
The final chapter is a defence of Calvin's character and actions to counter the most common accusations made against him. The style is plain and clear, though predictably deferential and at times a little sycophantic. The translation into modern English has been handled extremely well, producing a highly readable text, which is both fluent and consistent in style.
